Europe 2004

In June 2004, the band was once again invited back to Normandy, this time to participate in the 60th anniversary ceremonies of D-Day. The band’s trip included a performance for Lady Patricia, the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, Colonel in Chief of the PPCLI at Chelsea Veterans Hospital in London, a Beat the Retreat Ceremony with the Royal Marines Band and Royal Navy Veterans in Portsmouth with His Royal Highness Prince Charles as reviewing officer and a later meeting with HRH at a reception.

The band then traveled to Normandy where they performed on the beaches of Normandy, the Juno Beach Centre, and several communities liberated by Allied forces in 1944. Members toured Dieppe, the site of a failed 1942 invasion attempt by Canadian troops, before moving on to Ypres, Belgium. Here, the band performed a memorial service at the New Passchendale Cemetery at the grave of Alex Decoteau, a member of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and former member of the Edmonton Police Department who was killed in action during WW I in 1917. The video below explains the visit to Passchendale and features the band playing at Alex Decoteau’s grave. Click on the bottom right corner of the video to see it full size.

Band members with Canadian WWII Veterans in Novotel Ypres Centre Hotel

Poppies growing in Commonwealth Cemetery in Flanders Fields, Belgium

Allen and his family were so impressed with our performance in 2003, they pledged a 1,000 Euros to our band fund in 2004. The band's unanimous consensus was to establish the "McKell Fund" in his honour.

Allen McKell (on left) and his friend of 60 years, Clem. They served with the British 3rd Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division in WWII